Tuesday, December 28, 2010

When I finished the Lil' Cotty socks yesterday I wasn't quite sure what to work on next. Something from the WIPs pile? Start one of the new designs I've had in my mind? Work on that Snowboarder Hat or Mom's fingerless gloves? Those are a bit tricky because technically they are also both new designs....see the dilemna?

Well, it was late. So I cast on kind of a new design that would be easy and quick to knit.

An infinity scarf in the gorgeous Plucky Knitter Merino Alpaca Silk. I cast on and worked a good inch or two before I realized that it was twisted. Ugh. I thought I had even double-checked. And so I frogged it and then thought....is this a sign? Should I wait on this and work on something else?

I cast on and ensured it wasn't twisted and knit a row. Then I did some blog reading and read Stephanie's post. She talks about wrapping up her knitting for the year. Finishing what she had hoped or intended to finish, but being realistic too. Another sign.

Then I thought...well, I've got three solid days. The new designs and gifts will get done. I know that. But the other stuff, well it will just keep getting pushed to the back-burner, lowest-project-on-the-totem-pole kind of thing.

So I've decided to finish two projects. Or at least make a solid effort to try. Both for me. Both pure enjoyment, no deadline/design knitting.

The BFF Traveling Pont Neuf Scarf in BMFA BFL in colorway True Blood. I knit a few rows of this last night while I was getting a pedicure and thought...I need to finish this. I love it and the color is fabulous and I don't have anything this color and I need to send a certain someone the rest of the yarn. So this is the first project I hope to finish.

And then there are my handspun Fightin' Irish (a gift from ilikecake) Cotty socks. I have one done. I started these at the beginning of the football season. I'd love to at least make good progress on them Friday during Notre Dame's Sun Bowl appearance! Go Irish!!

So there you have it. I'm going to see how productive I can be and wrap up these projects! Any projects you are trying to finish up before the new year?

Oh, and are any of you thinking of doing the make your own Stash Sock Club similar to the Yarn Harlot's like last year? She described it here. I had wanted to last year and it just didn't happen, but I definitely want to do it this year. My sock knitting hasn't been as productive as in years past, partly due to designing, but there are soooooo many patterns I want to knit. And we know I have the stash for it! That's on my to-do list for this week too.

Monday, December 27, 2010

I hope you all are enjoying your holidays! We had a very nice relaxing Christmas here. I didn't stress over finishing Lil' Snowboarder's Cotty socks...she got one on Christmas, and immediately jumped up to find "the other one." Uh-oh.

But the one she did get fit perfectly. And I finished the other one last night, so all is good.

Yesterday involved a few of my favorite after-Christmas things to do....went to the Lush after-Christmas sale, ate leftovers, knit, and caught up on my reading. I'm almost done reading this! I know, a bit behind, but the third book has been downloaded to my Kindle, which means I'm hopeful to be done soon. Any other books you guys would recommend after this series? I

Today will include more of the same, perhaps with some exercise added (ate way too many of these) and maybe some movies!~

And just a reminder that all of my IGK ravelry patterns continue to be on sale through the new year (patterns available on the right sidebar or here).

Friday, December 24, 2010

I think I said there would be holiday baking last Sunday. It didn't happen. Then Monday night. Another didn't happen. I thought definitely Wednesday. Nope. I was a bit busy, good, holiday busy with friends and family.

But yesterday, the holiday baking happened. And as the first batch of Mimi's Sugar Cookies came out of the oven, all I thought was.....

This is my childhood in a cookie. I haven't made Mimi's Sugar Cookies for at least 5 or 6 years. When I talked to Mimi this morning, she was so happy because she thought she had lost the recipe. I remember copying this recipe as we baked these over 1o or 11 years ago, when they lived in the city before they moved to Reno.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Happy Winter Solstice! It seems almost perfect that last night, the longest night of the year, I stayed up late publishing my new design, Winter Wonder. I'm so excited to share it with you all because it feels like the perfect winter accessory.

As you can tell, we had a bit of fun with the many different looks of Winter Wonder!

All ilikecake needs here is the Baby Jesus and we'd have the perfect manger scene!

In addition to the infinity scarf, the pattern includes a cowl version.

A perfect one skein project, using The Plucky Knitter MCN Lite, in Pretty Pretty Pola, a slightly lighter worsted yarn gives the cowl a bit of drape.

Erica test knit the cowl for me in Kollage Yarns Fantastic in the colorway Smoke, and I just LOVE the uber-warm cozy feel of it in this yarn. Don't those cables just pop! Thank you Erica and her gorgeous model, Sheila, for the perfect snowy winter pictures!

Another thank you to my fabulous team, ilikecake (stunning model), cheekyattitude (awesome photographer), and cupcakefaerie (stylist extraordinaire)! I don't know what I would do without you ladies!

Pattern Notes: The pattern includes instructions for both the cowl and infinity scarf. Both written and charted instructions are provided. The pattern is worked in the round, top-down.

A special introductory, holiday pricing of $4.00 will run until January when the pattern will retail for $6.00. And don't forget, all other Irishgirlieknits' Individual Patterns sold through Ravelry (or here on the blog.....see left sidebar) are 20% off through January 3, 2011! Wishing you all a happy holidays!

Wishing you a happy Winter Solstice!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. I didn't forget about our blogiversary giveaway! The following lucky winners won a copy of Sweet Baby Kate....

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Here's the quick update on the sweat shop, I mean design deadline knitting/holiday knitting. It is 2:57am. The last design (of 3!!) is blocking and ready to go for the photoshoot tomorrow! Assuming they all dry. Yay!

My marathon knitting is often fueled by movies or TV shows. The last few days I've been enjoying the following...

Oh, and mom picked the Plucky MCN fingering in Flannel Shimmy (the gorgeous grey..one of my faves!!) for her gloves. Her and I both want to thank you for all the birthday wishes! She was thrilled and totally understanding of the lack of gift. Although she keeps saying that seems to equal two sets of gloves, but oh well.

Here are the lucky winners too! The following win a copy of my Dotty sock pattern:

Please email me at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com and include the name of the pattern you won! Congratulations!!

So for today's blogiversary giveaway, leave me a comment about what you do for your marathon knitting (e.g., what movies help you crank out that project?, music?, place? anything!) or something else you enjoy while you knit (e.g., I pick the spot on the couch at IrishDad's house closest to the fire and guaranteed to get a doggie on your lap at the same time!). The pattern will be Sweet Baby Kate because...Dear Baby Francis (the Uncle Frank baby booties) should be released this week!! Yay!

And for double the fun, go over to Zknitter's blog and enter her blogiversary contest. She's giving away one of my patterns (love you Zonda!! can you believe it has been 4 years since I was your secret pal and reading your blog inspired me to start mine?!?!) as well as other fun prizes!

Tomorrow includes a photo shoot, holiday baking, and starting Lil' Snowboarder's Christmas socks!! I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner!!

As a special holiday thank you to all of my readers, I'm offering 20% off all of my individual patterns sold through Ravelry or my website. You can either click the pattern links on the right or purchase through Ravelry. The sale will run through the new year! Happy Holidays!!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dear Mom,Happy Birthday! So, you know those fingerless gloves you hinted at for your birthday, well, um. How should I put this?

Hmmmm......can I distract you for a second instead?

Well, I was going to knit the gloves for you last weekend, but instead invited you to join the kids and I at Lemos Farm. You understand, right? Family time instead of knitting time.So, tonight, when you open your birthday gift and see this....

(pick ONE! just one...you pick...no, no, not all)

just remember all the fun we had this weekend. And know that I love you! And that you should have the gloves in time for the new year (I hope!)!Happy happy birthday Mom!xoxo your favorite Irishgirlie

Hmm...not sure that is going to smooth over the late gift, but hopefully mom will understand! She understands the designing committments, especially since she is my fabulous sock model!

Today's blogiversary pattern giveaway includes 4 Dotty Sock patterns and 4 Burst Sock patterns! 8 winners! All you need to do is leave a comment wishing my mom a happy birthday! Help distract her from the lack of a knitted gift :)

Congratulations! Please email me at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com (and note that you won Blackberry Brambles)! It may take me a day or two to email them to you (since I'm crazy trying to blog everyday and knit holiday stuff!).

Okay, next pattern giveaway will be tomorrow's post (hopefully an early morning post)! I'll be giving away two patterns though, but more importantly, will need you all to help me with a special something tomorrow!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Deluded in regards to holiday knitting may have been too strong of a word in my last post. Denial, perhaps? I loved all of your guys' comments....some of you are right there with me, some are enjoying knitting other things and not stressing over holiday knitting (I can't get my head around that), some have a few projects going, and some of you are....DONE???

I'm in trouble. Because, really, I only have three holiday gifts to knit this year. Fingerless gloves for mom's birthday (this week....I count it as holiday knitting), socks for Lil' Snowboarder (she asked Santa for more socks?!! How can I resist?), and a hat for Snowboarder (you all know that that will be gifted sometime in January or February....he seems to have learned that his hats get bumped for just about anything else....he has too many anyways!).

And progress to date on these three projects. NONE. yes, I said, it. NONE. I'm trying to crank out a design or two before the holidays. I'm thinking positive though because I have two weekend days to knit PLUS three days off next week. Totally doable, right? Its not like I have any Christmas shopping, or holiday socializing, or baking to do right? hehehe

Elizabeth D's comment made me feel not so alone in the holiday knitting denial. She said, "Sleep? People sleep in December?" She wins a Cotty pattern for that :) I came home tonight from work and told my sister I was tired. She said it was because I've been staying up too late in the knitting sweat shop. So agree.

Thank you all for the blogiversary comments! The winners of the Cotty socks pattern are:

Please contact me at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com and I'll send the pattern to you via email.

Let's kickoff day 2 of the giveaway with 4 free copies of Blackberry Brambles! That pattern always makes me think of baking, and since I have some holiday baking to do, enter the contest by leaving a comment of either your favorite recipe this time of year (doesn't necessarily have to be holiday related) or your favorite thing to bake or what you are craving right this second (me....a cupcake...there, I said it.).

Oh, and in my defense in regards to the lack of my holiday knitting thus far, I provide you with evidence of putting holiday fun before holiday knitting. Me and Lil' Guy at the Christmas Tree Farm this past Sunday (that should read...bouncy house, train ride, petting zoo, pony rides...ways to tire out Lil' Guy!).

I guess it also serves as evidence of what I've been knitting instead of holiday gifts (uh-oh). My new Winter Wonder Cowl pattern should be ready soon!

You see, Pashyknits already had a drop spindle AND belonged to a fiber club AND had a gift certificate for spinning knits, but still had not learned. Until I told her I was officially sucked in, and she immediately forced me to show her how to use a drop spindle (she learned, despite my poor teaching!).

She loves it! And I still love her, even though she fell off the face of the blog circa June 2007. Oh, but her stash has grown and her knitting has been prolific!

This was my purchase. Cookie's new book, Knit. Sock. Love., is just gorgeous! I couldn't resist.

And it wouldn't be a blogiversary celebration without a little giveaway, would it!?!? Thank you all so much for reading and being here and being part of this wonderful knitting community that I couldn't imagine my life without! So, I'm doing a pattern giveaway a day for the next week! Not sure I'll be able to blog daily (you never know!), but if I miss a day, the next post will have two patterns to giveaway!!

Today's giveaway, Cotty, my very first sock pattern. Who knew it would be #74 on Ravelry's most popular sock patterns (yeah, I'm geeky like that! it is so super exciting to me!!)! I'll be giving away 4 copies to celebrate our 4 years of blogging! If you have Cotty and win, you can gift it to someone else or pick a different pattern from my Raverly shop!

Just leave a comment telling me what project you are working on right now and/or if you are deluded like me and think you can finish all of your holiday knitting and get sleep at the same time!! And be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you win!